One Mind – Together with Thich Nhat Hanh

Since our time as a sitting group has ended, it has been some time since I have shared on the UZ site thus I hope this post finds you warmly.

As many of you know, the Great Buddhist Teacher; Thich Nhat Hanh is currently in critical condition at the hospital due to a brain hemorrhage.

Though Underdog Zendo was not of the Plum Village lineage, I had specially added a chant which was written by Thich Nhat Hanh to our liturgy books which we closed with at the end of every practice period.

It is the wishes of the Plum Village Sangha that we hold him closely in our minds & hearts during this crucial time of his possible recovery or passing. I have now made this chant ‘Refuge Prayer’ available for download along with a high resolution image of him baring some of his very crucial words so that you may print them out to practice this very wonderful chant & you may place his picture on your altar or somewhere in your home during this time & onward to keep his influence in the world moving strongly & to aid you in your journey of awakening.

For myself, I shall be returning to this chant during this time & carry it onward. The page is linked below:

Also Thich Nhat Hanh has asked that people practice the Namo Valokitesvaraya Chant
& that we eat vegetarian, sending the merits to offer life to him during this time.

I will conclude with an amazing poem from Thich Nhat Hanh (thank you Joseph Mold) , followed by a personal poem inspired by his words & it would be wonderful for you all to write a poem in his honor to post in the comments below & I will share all the poems on our facebook page.

“This body is not me; I am not caught in this body,
I am life without boundaries, I have never been born and I have never died.
Over there the wide ocean and the sky with many galaxies
All manifests from the basis of consciousness.
Since beginningless time I have always been free.
Birth and death are only a door through which we go in and out.
Birth and death are only a game of hide-and-seek.
So smile to me and take my hand and wave good-bye.
Tomorrow we shall meet again or even before.
We shall always be meeting again at the true source,
Always meeting again on the myriad paths of life.”― Thích Nhất Hạnh, No Death, No Fear

Both being & non-being, living, dying you & me fully *
Not being nor non-being, no birth, life & no death can encase it *
The head tilts back & I laugh aloud with tears for of joy & sorrow.
Today to be here. To express my face is yours.
I love you Thich Nhat Hanh *
To nurture the lotus & pass it on*
It’s true,
You have helped me – love everything *